KUALA LUMPUR – Pharmaniaga Bhd has assured all its vendors and suppliers that the current delay in payments will be resolved and normalised by the end of April at the earliest.
The group said this after a meeting with the Pharmaceutical Association of Malaysia (PhAMA) yesterday to address the association’s concerns regarding its PN17 (Practice Note 17) status and issues pertaining to delays in payment to suppliers.
In a statement today, Pharmaniaga said that most of its obligations to suppliers have been cleared, and it will continue to honour all commitments to ensure patients’ access to medicine remains uninterrupted and intact.
The group also noted that its core business activities, namely research and development; manufacturing; logistics and distribution; sales and marketing; as well as its Indonesian operations are proceeding as usual and unaffected by the current situation.
“Certain action plans have also been agreed upon by both parties, including more proactive engagements in addressing operational issues with regard to medicine and non-medicine supplies to the government and private healthcare facilities.
“Both parties will also work closer towards creating a more consistent and predictable ecosystem that encourages stable operations,” it added.
The meeting was attended by PhAMA board members Tan Sri Ariffin Yusuf and Louis-George Lasonnery, executive director Chan Li Jin, and representatives from Zuellig Pharma, Roche Malaysia, Lundbeck Malaysia, Novartis Malaysia, Sanofi Malaysia, DKSH Holdings Malaysia, and Novo Nordisk Malaysia, among others.
Meanwhile, Pharmaniaga was represented by deputy chief executive officer Zulkifli Jafar and commercial director Zulhazri Razali. – Bernama, April 4, 2023
